Last September, stalwart California Senator Dianne Feinstein died at age 90 in the midst of her sixth term. California’s state constitution charges Governor Gavin Newsom with the responsibility for naming a replacement; having previously endured criticism for choosing his close ally Alex Padilla as a replacement for Kamala Harris, Newsom committed to selecting a Black woman if he were given another opportunity to fill a Senate seat. Numerous names were floated as potential candidates, including House Representative Barbara Lee, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and former Compton Mayor Aja Brown.
Given Feinstein’s announcement in February that she would not seek re-election in 2024, prominent Democrats had already entered the race, including Rep. Lee as well as Rep. Adam Schiff of Burbank. Orange County House Rep Katie Porter was also an early entrant. Following an intense and immediate onslaught of pressure to immediately appoint Barbara Lee, Newsom announced he would not appoint a current candidate, in favor of selecting a “placeholder” for the remaining 15 months of Feinstein’s term.
On October 1, Governor Newsom’s office announced his appointment to the Senate seat opened by Feinstein’s passing: Laphonza Butler, a labor leader and longtime advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris who was at the time serving as President of EMILY’s List, the largest organization in the United States dedicated to electing women. Butler had relocated her family to Maryland for this role in 2021 while maintaining their California home in View Park, the pristinely preserved central Los Angeles neighborhood known as the “Black Beverly Hills.”
“An advocate for women and girls, a second-generation fighter for working people, and a trusted adviser to Vice President Harris, Laphonza Butler represents the best of California, and she’ll represent us proudly in the United States Senate,” said Governor Newsom. “As we mourn the enormous loss of Senator Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for–reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence–have never been under greater assault. Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington D.C.”
Senator Butler follows a similar path as her predecessors Dianne Feinstein Kamala Harris, both of whom blazed their own trails by challenging commonly held notions of what leadership looks like on their paths to the U.S. Senate. She will be the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the Senate, the first Black LGBTQ person to openly serve in Congress, and the second Black woman to represent California in the Senate (following Vice President Kamala Harris.)
Born, raised, and educated in Mississippi, Butler graduated from Jackson State University in 2001 with a degree in Political Science. She began her professional career as a union organizer in the Midwest and along the East Coast before relocating to California in 2009. She was elected President of the California SEIU State Council in 2013, using that role to advocate for minimum wage increases and higher tax rates for the state’s wealthiest residents.
Beyond policy advocacy Butler was also active in California politics, serving as a delegate for the 2016 Democratic National Convention and accepting an appointment to the University of California Board of Regents by then-Governor Jerry Brown.
In 2018, Butler joined San Francisco-based political consulting firm SCRB Strategies as a partner. In this role, she was significantly involved in then-Senator Kamala Harris’ 2020 bid for the U.S. Presidency; Harris had considered Butler a key ally since she helped secure an endorsement from SEIU in Harris’ 2010 race for Attorney General of California.
Given the urgency of filling Feinstein’s vacancy given the delicate balance of power in the Senate, Laphonza Butler was quickly sworn in as a United States Senator on October 1, 2023 and immediately began her service. Butler’s oath was administered by Vice President and President Pro Tempore Kamala Harris, with her wife Neneki Lee by her side.
Upon her appointment, Senator Butler was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Judiciary
- Rules and Administration
Butler’s appointment to the Judiciary Committee allows President Biden to continue reshaping the courts by appointing women and minority appointees to the bench at a historic rate.
In the just-over 100 days since she took office, Senator Butler has focused on issues critically important to marginalized and underserved communities. She commemorated this milestone with open houses for young voters in San Diego and Los Angeles.
“At a time of pervasive cynicism about our government, it is more important than ever to invest in restoring confidence in our democracy and to build a partnership with the next generation of leaders,” said Butler, who announced in October she will not enter the race for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Dianne Feinstein, telling the New York Times “this is not the greatest use of my voice.”
“From voting rights and housing affordability to mental health and reproductive rights, young people and especially young women are facing headwinds, and I’m committed to using my time in the Senate to hold the door open for them,” Butler added.
In a video promoting Senator Butler’s first speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday January 17, she shared a simple sentiment that encapsulates her diligent work over the past 100 days: “We are going to make every day count that we are here in the United States Senate on behalf of working Californians and the future of our state and country.”
Butler is using her time in the Senate to do important work, and her immediate impact has lowered the temperature around California’s second Senate seat, which had grown contentious in the months leading up to Senator Feinstein’s passing. Much like his choice to nominate Alex Padilla in 2020 which was met with initial criticism from some corners, it now seems clear Newsom was once again on target by appointing Laphonza Butler to serve as California’s “caretaker” Senator.
In announcing her decision not to run for election in 2024, Senator Butler offered the following: “Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign. I know this will be a surprise to many because traditionally we don’t see those who have power let it go. It may not be the decision people expected but it’s the right one for me.”
We are eager to watch Senator Butler working on behalf of Californians, young voters, women, marginalized communities, and all Americans between now and the end of her Senate term in November and we are grateful for her presence there at a time when her voice, skills, and expertise are critically needed.
To learn more about Laphonza Butler and her work in Congress, visit her official Senate website at butler.senate.gov. Follow her on Twitter/X at @SenLaphonza (official) and @LaphonzaB (personal).
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